Multiple component solid state white light

• US 20040217364A1
• Filed: 05/01/2003
• Published: 11/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Creeled Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cree Lighting Company (Ideal Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Keller, Bernd, Dunn, Michael, Tarsa, Eric Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 7,005,679 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/89
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0753 the devices being arranged next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2933/0091 Scattering means in or on the semiconductor body or semiconductor body package H01L33/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/50 Wavelength conversion elements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

A white light emitting lamp is disclosed comprising a solid state ultra violet (UV) emitter that emits light in the UV wavelength spectrum. A conversion material is arranged to absorb at least some of the light emitting from the UV emitter and re-emit light at one or more different wavelengths of light. One or more complimentary solid state emitters are included that emit at different wavelengths of light than the UV emitter and the conversion material. The lamp emits a white light combination of light emitted from the complimentary emitters and from the conversion material, with the white light having high efficacy and good color rendering. Other embodiments of white light emitting lamp according to the present invention comprises a solid state laser instead of a UV emitter. A high flux white emitting lamp embodiment according to the invention comprises a large area light emitting diode (LED) that emits light at a first wavelength spectrum and includes a conversion material. A plurality of complimentary solid state emitters surround the large area LED, with each emitter emitting light in a spectrum different from the large area LED and conversion material such that the lamp emits a balanced white light. Scattering particles can be included in each of the embodiments to scatter the light from the emitters, conversion material and complimentary emitters to provide a more uniform emission.

Claims

1. A white light emitting lamp, comprising:

a solid state ultra violet (UV) emitter emitting light in the UV wavelength spectrum;

a conversion material arranged to absorb at least some of the light emitting from said UV emitter and re-emit light at one or more different wavelength spectrums of light; and

one or more complimentary solid state emitters emitting different wavelength spectrums of light than said UV emitter and said conversion material, said lamp emitting a white light combination of light emitted from said complimentary emitters and from said conversion material, said white light having high efficacy and good color rendering;

said UV and complimentary emitters being mounted in a reflector element having conductors to apply a bias to said emitters, said bias causing said emitters to emit light.

2. The lamp of claim 1, wherein said UV emitter comprises a UV emitting light emitting diode (LED), said conversion material absorbs at least some of the light emitting from said UV LED and re-emits wavelengths of light in the blue and green spectrum.

3. The lamp of claim 1, wherein said one or more complimentary emitters comprise a LED emitting a wavelength of light in the red spectrum.

4. The lamp of claim 1, wherein, said UV emitter comprises a UV emitting LED and said conversion material absorbs at least some of the light emitting from said UV LED and re-emits wavelengths of light in the blue spectrum.

5. The lamp of claim 1, wherein said one or more complimentary emitters comprise a LED emitting a wavelength of light in the green spectrum and a LED emitting a wavelength of light in the red spectrum.

6. The lamp of claim 1, wherein said UV emitter comprises a UV emitting LED and said conversion material absorbs at least some of the light emitting from said UV LED and re-emits wavelengths of light in the green spectrum.

7. The lamp of claim 1, wherein said one or more complimentary emitters comprises a LED emitting a wavelength of light in the green spectrum and a LED emitting a wavelength of in the red spectrum.

8. The lamp of claim 1, wherein-said conversion material covers both said UV emitter and said one or more complimentary emitters, most of the light from said complimentary emitters passing through said conversion material without being absorbed.

9. The lamp of claim 1, wherein said UV and complimentary emitters are mounted on a submount.

11. The lamp of claim 1, wherein said UV and complimentary emitters each comprise an emitter from the group consisting of an LED, a solid state laser, and organic light emitting diode.

12. The lamp of claim 1, further comprising scattering particles arranged to scatter the light from said UV and complimentary emitters to produce a substantially uniform emission of white light from said lamp, said scattering particles each having a diameter of approximately one half a wavelength of light emitted by either said UV emitter or said complimentary emitters.

14. The lamp of claim 1, further comprising a layer of clear material between said UV emitter and said conversion material, said clear layer forming a hemispheric or sheet volume.

15. The lamp of claim 14, wherein said layer of clear material has an index of refraction approximately the same as that of the emitting surface of said UV emitter.

16. The lamp of claim 1, wherein the intensities of the light emitted from said UV emitter and complimentary emitters can be independently varied to vary the color or hue of white light emitted from said lamp.

17. The lamp of claim 1, further comprising a component to control the direction of light emitted from said lamp.

18. The lamp of claim 1, wherein said conversion material comprises a material from the group consisting of a phosphor, fluorescent dye, photoluminescent semiconductor, and combinations thereof.

19. The lamp of claim 1, wherein said conversion material absorbs substantially all the light emitting from said UV emitter.

20. The lamp of claim 1, wherein said UV emitter comprises a plurality of large area LED and said complimentary emitters comprise a plurality of LEDs surrounding said large area LED, said lamp emitting a balanced white light.

10. (Canceled)

13. (Canceled)

21. A white light emitting lamp, comprising:

a solid state laser emitting light in a first wavelength spectrum;

a conversion material arranged to absorb at least some of the light emitting from said laser and re-emit light at one or more different wavelength spectrums of light; and

one or more complimentary solid state emitters emitting different wavelengths of light than said laser and said conversion material, said lamp emitting a white light combination of light emitted from said laser, complimentary emitters, and conversion material, said white light having high efficacy and good color rendering;

said laser emitting light in the blue wavelength spectrum, said conversion material absorbing some of the light emitting from said laser and re-emitting a wavelength of light in the green spectrum, the non-absorbed blue light passing through said conversion material.

24. The lamp of claim 21, wherein said one or more complimentary emitters comprise a LED emitting a wavelength of light in the red spectrum.

25. The lamp of claim 21, wherein said conversion material absorbs some of the light emitting from said laser and re-emits a wavelength of light in the blue and yellow spectrum, the non-absorbed blue light passing through said conversion material.

26. The lamp of claim 21, further comprising a submount and metal cup, said laser and complimentary emitters mounted on said submount and said submount mounted in said reflector element.

27. The lamp of claim 21, further comprising scattering particles arranged to scatter the light from said laser and complimentary emitters to produce a more uniform emission of white light from said lamp.

28. The lamp of claim 21, wherein the intensities of the light emitted from said laser and complimentary emitters can be independently varied to vary the color or hue of white light emitted from said lamp.

29. The lamp of claim 21, wherein said conversion material comprises a material from the group consisting of a phosphor, fluorescent dye, photoluminescent semiconductor, and combinations thereof.

22. (Canceled)

23. (Canceled)

30. A white light emitting lamp, comprising:

a first solid state emitter emitting light in a first wavelength spectrum;

a conversion material to absorb at least some of the light from said first solid state emitter, and emit light at one or more different wavelength spectrums;

one or more complimentary emitters each of which emits light at a wavelength spectrum different from said first wavelength spectrum and said conversion material wavelength spectrums; and

scattering particles arranged to scatter the light from said first emitter, conversion material and complimentary emitters, said lamp emitting a uniform white light combination of light from said first emitter, conversion material and complimentary emitters;

said scattering particles each having a diameter of approximately one half a wavelength of light emitted by either said first emitter, conversion material or complimentary emitters.

32. The lamp of claim 30, wherein said scattering particles are disposed within said conversion material.

33. The lamp of claim 30, further comprising a clear encapsulant material, said encapsulant encasing at least part of said lamp with at least some of the light from said first emitter, conversion material and complimentary emitters passing through said encapsulant, said scattering particles disposed within said encapsulant.

34. The lamp of claim 30, wherein said scattering particles form a layer of scattering particles with at least some of the light from said first emitter, conversion material and complimentary emitters passing through said layer.

35. The lamp of claim 30, wherein the white light emitted by said lamp has high efficacy and good color rendering.

31. (Canceled)

36. A high flux white emitting lamp, comprising:

a large area light emitting diode (LED) emitting light at a first wavelength spectrum;

a conversion material arranged to absorb at least some of the light from said large area LED, and re-emit at least one wavelength light in a spectrum different from said first wavelength spectrum; and

a plurality of complimentary solid state emitters surrounding said large area LED and each emitting light in a spectrum different from said large area LED and said conversion material, said lamp emitting a balanced and uniform white light combination of light from said large area LED, conversion material and complimentary emitters, said white light having high efficacy and good color rendering;

said conversion material covering both said large area LED and said plurality of complimentary emitters, most of the light from said complimentary emitters passing through said conversion material without being absorbed.

38. The lamp of claim 36, further comprising a submount and reflector element, said large area LED and complimentary emitters mounted on said submount and said submount mounted in said metal cup.

39. The lamp of claim 36, further comprising scattering particles arranged to scatter the light from said large area LED and complimentary emitters to produce a substantially uniform emission of white light from said lamp.

40. The lamp of claim 36, wherein the intensities of the light emitted from said large area LED and complimentary emitters can be independently varied to vary the color or hue of white light emitted from said lamp.

41. The lamp of claim 36, wherein said large area LED comprises a plurality of large area LEDs.

37. (Canceled)

42. A method for producing white light with high efficacy and good color rendering, comprising:

generating light in the UV wavelength spectrum;

passing said UV light through a conversion material that absorbs said UV light and re-emits light at one or more different wavelength spectrums;

generating complimentary light at one or more wavelength spectrums that is different from said conversion material wavelength spectrums;

combining said conversion material light and said complimentary light to generate white light with high efficacy and good color rendering; and

providing reflective element that reflects said UV light, complimentary light and conversion material light such that all contribute to light emission direction, said reflective element also comprising a means for causing said light generation.

43. The method of claim 42, further comprising scattering said conversion material light and said complimentary light to generate substantially uniform white light.

44. A method for producing white light with high efficacy and good color rendering, comprising:

generating laser light;

passing said laser light through a conversion material that absorbs at least some of said laser light and re-emits light at one or more different wavelength spectrums;

generating complimentary light at one or more wavelength spectrums that is different from said conversion material wavelength spectrums; and

combining said conversion material light and said complimentary light to generate white light with high efficacy and good color rendering, said laser light being blue light, said conversion material absorbing some of the light emitting from said laser and re-emitting a wavelength of light in the green spectrum, the non-absorbed blue light passing through said conversion material.